12 July 2017

I flew to the Seychelles on a direct flight from Johannesburg to Mahe, the capital of Seychelles. From Mahe, there is a short connecting flight to Praslin – one of the most scenic flights in the world. The Constance Ephelia Resort on the west side of Mahé island is only a 20 minute drive from the airport via a scenic road over the mountain. The entrance to the resort is behind a bridge over some mangrove forest. The resort stretches over a huge area, but is very well planned. It offers everything families or honeymoon couples would want. The spa facilities are very good and welcoming. I liked the children’s club area as they offer many indoor and outdoor activities in a friendly environment. 5 restaurants on the property cater for everyone’s tastes. The junior suites are all sea facing and there are very nice one and two-bedroom villas scattered around the resort. The resort is surrounded by a huge Mangrove forest and walks can be done there. There is also an adventure centre offering zip lining (8 lines) and rock climbing in the hills within the resort. One day I was picked up from the hotel, transferred to the ferry terminal in Victoria, and then taken by high speed ferry to the islands of Praslin and La Digue. Here I spent the day swimming, snorkelling, walking around La Digue’s old Palm Oil factory, Planation houses and watching the Giant Tortoises (Hundreds of them). A visit to the ancient Palm forest on Praslin is a must: Valleé de Mai. My favourite moment on that day was to have a cool drink at the beach restaurant on the famous beach of Anse Lazio as the sun was setting. Another great day on Mahe is to rent a small car for the day and visit the capital Victoria and other beaches such as Beau Vallon Bay. The roads crossing over the mountain in the middle of the island are very scenic. Seychelles’ beaches are incredible, it is always summer and the forests are beautiful. Most of the hotel deals include meals only, so it is important to have an ample budget for drinks and water – these are expensive at the hotels and restaurants, but where else in the world can you have a drink in such a beautiful setting? Air Seychelles fly to Mahe from Johannesburg 4-5 times a week, and the service and meals are completely fine and the legroom in economy class ample.

02 February 2014

Telford is in the county Shropshire, UK and is the home of the world’s oldest cast metal arch bridge. There is also a huge conference venue in Telford, which Telford was our main destination. The small cities and towns of England are really charming, and makes for great self-drive holidays. We flew to Manchester via London on the services of Virgin Atlantic and their local airline: Little Red. It is a great product and the flight; even in economy class was very comfortable. The Virgin Atlantic crew is always friendly and the service impeccable. The flight to London is just over 11 hours long, so before you know it, you are there. A visit to the UK must certainly include a few nights in London. Around Christmas time, the streets are lit up at night and the late night shopping very exciting. It is always great to go and see the shop-windows of Harrods dressed for Christmas. A new shop I found this year was the M&M store, 3 stories of chocolate and M&M merchandise. I also visited the museum where the newly restored ship, the Cutty Sark can be experienced. This is also at the site of the Greenwich observatory, and there is a very interesting museum where you can learn all about the navigational problems of ships of olden days. I also visited Ripley’s Museum and The Tower of London. There are so many things to do and see in London, one could do this every year. It is easy to get around but not so easy to choose what to do next! South African passport holders require a visa to visit the UK, but this is easily obtained from their office in Sandton. Call me; I will gladly help you with this. I also have deals on many great hotels in London, and can easily package this with flights and city attractions for an unforgettable holiday in the UK. I can even book shows in London for you. London – What a city!

30 April 2013

We flew directly to Zanzibar with the new charter service (operated by Mango). It is a quick 3 to 4 hour flight and before you know it, the aircraft circles to land on a small flat island. The charter flight is a weekly flight departing on Tuesdays from Johannesburg. Do not expect any of the modern luxuries such as luggage carousels or air-conditioning at the airport in Zanzibar. Jambo means welcome in Swahili and it is the slogan there. The people are truly friendly and welcoming. Zanzibar’s is made up of coral and sandstone and with the whole island being flat and is no larger than 86km by 34km. The roads are mostly paved and traffic is not heavy. It took about an hour and a half from the airport to our resort. Our transfer operator was very good and the air-conditioned bus was in a good condition. Zanzibar’s beaches are protected by a coral reef surrounding the island. At most resorts the tide goes out quite a distance, and some resorts have especially built paths for bathers so that they can get out to the sea for a swim during low tide. The weather is tropical and the rainy monsoon season is normally from April to May. The average maximum temperatures vary from 28 – 32 degrees Celsius (minimums from 21- 24 degrees Celsius) The island has a great variety of beach resorts to choose from and these vary from being very basic to complete luxury. Zanzibar resort packages offer very good value for money (as most resorts offer an all-inclusive plan at a very reasonable rate). It is important to get expert advice in order to select the correct resort for your required holiday - be it honeymoon or adventure. The standards can vary and the star ratings can be very misleading there. The best part of a Zanzibar package holiday is to enjoy the resort’s pool, beach, drinks and food. There are excursions that one can do on the island from: Ocean Blue Cruise – Enjoy a full day cruise on a hand built sail boat (Ngalawa) including snorkelling equipment and lunch & entertainment on a sand island – this is the most amazing local experience. The snorkelling is excellent. Spice Tour – See and taste first-hand how spices are grown – this was ‘’Spice Island’’ after all. Stone Town – a UNESCO world heritage site, the buildings are amazing and it seems as if some of it at least is being renovated. There are also forest walks and many other excursions available. Zanzibar is truly an escape holiday, into Africa and away from it all!

06 October 2012

Eating well and relaxing must be the slogan on this trip. Croatia won its independence from the former Yugoslavia early in the 20th century. The capital city is Zagreb, where much of the old architecture was influenced or designed by the Austrians (It was part of the Austro-Hungarian kingdom at the turn of the previous century). The two most famous UNESCO world heritage sites in Croatia are the Plitvice Lakes and Dubrovnik city (the old capital of the Dubrovnik Republic). Our self-drive trip took us from Zagreb to Split, then to Dubrovnik, Zadar and Plitvice Lakes and finally back to Zagreb. Croatia’s large coastline is truly beautiful and with thousands of small and large islands, small and ancient towns, wine growing regions and huge forests that makes for a wondrous journey. Swimming in the Adriatic Sea is possible almost anywhere, but if you are looking for sandy beaches this is not the destination for you. The beaches are mostly made of small pebbles with no or very small waves. During the summer months, the sea temperatures reach highs of 28 degrees Celsius. Split and Zadar are cities worth visiting, but the highlight is definitely Dubrovnik. There is a fantastic tourist-holiday atmosphere and many marine and cultural activities. Some things to do while in Dubrovnik: Visit the old towns of Ston and Mali Ston, visit the wine-growing regions around Peljesac, take a small boat to the small island of Lokrum, hire sea kayaks, take the cable car to see the old Dubrovnik city from above, walk around the old city atop the walls, visit museums, enjoy the street café culture around Lapad beach and relax on Lapad Beach. Plitvice Lakes is a must see, it is best to stay in a Plitvice National Park Hotel for 1 night, as one can enjoy the walks, mini-train and ferry rides from there. Fantastic waterfalls, lakes and forest scenery! The first impressions of Zagreb are maybe not the greatest, but the city definitely grows on one, and it offers a number of museums, monuments and shopping options. It is also home to the world’s shortest funicular which takes people from the lower city to the upper city – about 80m. As I mentioned before, the food is great and prices are similar to prices in South Africa. One can really sit for hours and enjoy the street culture, while eating and drinking good quality products. South African Passport holders require visas to visit Croatia. The requirements are similar to Schengen visa requirements. Croatia is about to join the European Union (In March 2013), and will probably also join the Schengen agreement (for visas). There are currently no direct flights from South Africa, but easy flight connections exist via Frankfurt, Istanbul or Paris. Croatia is a very safe destination, and I can recommend it for adventurers, conferences, families with small children as well as for honeymooning in Dubrovnik (Especially in the Lapad Beach area) . Best time to visit: Summer months of May – September.

29 May 2012

Mauritius – Club Med – La Plantation d’Albion Location: West Coast of Mauritius – 1 hour from the airport This Five Star Resort by Club Med has the only flying trapeze on Mauritius. The huge grounds are magnificent and feature a Zen area for adults (a beautiful quiet beach area with a spa and bar). The Mini Club Med and Juniors’ Club cater for children of all ages. The children take part in great activities such as snorkelling, swimming and even beginners’ classes in flying Trapeze. The club rooms are a good 41 square metre (sq m) in size, but pay a little extra and stay in a Deluxe Sea view room (50 sq m) or a Sea view Suite (71 sq m). As always, everything is included in the price of your holiday (All meals, a selection of drinks including beer, wine and soft drinks. The main buffet style restaurant offer different stations and it definitely caters for all. There are many activities offered all day long and at night there is always a surprise on the stage in the concert hall. The rooms and foyer of the hotel are furnished in a modern, elegant and bright coloured theme. It is definitely a great honeymoon resort with romantic daybeds scattered along the large beach front and at the “adults only” area. One could not wish for a better location and experience in an island setting. The weather in Mauritius is mostly pleasant which makes the resort a year round destination. It is especially great to escape the winter in South Africa (and the rates are great then). We were hosted there by the staff of Club Med in May 2012. I really liked this resort and it is definitely a flagship for Club Med. I definitely recommend it for the up-market couples with children as well as honeymoon couples.

01 February 2012

I arrive in Rome in style – with a private airport transfer dropped right in front of the hotel. This is definitely the way to arrive with luggage and all. Our hotel was near Via Veneto, the high street for 5 star hotels in Rome. The area is convenient for visiting the Spanish steps, the Trevi Fountain and almost all the central sites. The Hop-on Hop-off bus also stops nearby. The bus is a great way to get a quick history lesson of Rome and to see where all the sites are. The Italians are friendly, the food is good and they speak English in the touristy areas. A highlight for me was the Vatican Museum and St Peter's Basilica, I have never seen anything like it! Rome is definitely my favourite city now (Or is it Rio de Janeiro?) The shopping is very good and the quality is high. The fresh food market is a must as is the outdoor markets. The Italians are very romantic and crowds mingle in the evenings around all the beautiful places like the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The atmosphere in Rome is wonderful and the cool evenings are to be enjoyed outside. Italian trains are efficient and on-time. Get to Rome Termini station and you can virtually get to anywhere in Italy fast. Our train went via Civitavecchia (The main port city of Rome) and Grosseto to Siena. Siena is interesting because of the Baroque architecture (The Renaissance did not affect Siena) and the Palio (The horse race they have twice a year in the centre of town). From Siena we drove through Chianti to taste the cheese, wine and local food, we definitely needed more time for that. It is beautiful and very relaxing to drive through the countryside. Once in Florence, driving a car is not fun anymore and getting around by public transport and on foot is the norm. Florence is great for art and architecture, but the restaurants and shopping is as good as is in Rome. When you get tired of museums, palaces and art, Florence is a great base from which to explore the surrounding Tuscany. It is only 1 hour by train to Pisa for example; a nice morning can be spent going to Pisa or other towns nearby. Venice is the only another short train ride away and to get back to Rome it only takes 1.5 hours by Eurostar. Once in Rome, Termini station is connected by Airport Train, the Leonardo da Vinci Express to Rome Airport. Italy is friendly and warm and South African’s love it there. One will always go back for more. There are so many parts to explore. Italy is part of the Schengen agreement and a Schengen visa is required to visit. There are no direct flights, but there are many connecting options such as Emirates Air, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines and any of the European carriers. The Best time to go is September, October or November, when it is no longer so hot during the day.

01 February 2012

Better go to Dubai during their winter, it gets hot there! I visited Dubai during September (Just towards the end of their summer) and quickly learnt the technique of staying in air conditioned areas at all times. Luckily even the bus stops and metro train stations are cooled. The second metro line recently opened and this system is very impressive. The city has “futuristic vision” written all over it. It boasts the tallest building in the world, the Burj al Khalifa and building projects such as blocks of future sky scrapers as well as manmade islands “The World”, “The Palm” and many others. The trip up to near the top of the Burj al Khalifa is well worth the effort. The views are awesome. Shopping (High End) and entertainment in Dubai is unbelievable. Shopping centres such as the Dubai Mall are incredible (and even to just see the huge aquarium glass wall is something else). Other amazing things to do are Kidzania, Segaland and Ski Dubai (The Kempinski Hotel has ski-chalet rooms with views on the indoor ski-slopes). This huge indoor ski resort offers all kinds of slopes (with a ski-lift) and rides for children. This is the perfect place to go and learn to ski on the way to Europe. The children can spend some time in their own city, Kidzania, where they rule and learn all kinds of skills (From pizza maker to heart surgeon!) The resorts along the coast is of course great (imagine hot and humid and fantastic five star hotel on the beach). The Palm, one of the large man-made islands is also the home of the famous Kerzner Resort, Atlantis the palm, a huge resort with Water Park and many other entertaining things to do including fantastic beaches (the best water rides ever!). Dubai is home to some of the best quality hotels and resorts I have seen. The rooms are often of a good size and the service (all foreigners) impeccable. Some of the old Dubai remains near the mouth of the original creek. There the old Dhows can still be seen; nowadays they are mostly used for tourism purpose such as a Dinner on the Dhow cruise. These are very special; just make sure that you are seated in the air conditioned section. The gold souk is also situated near the creek – what an experience. (I have a great hotel to recommend near the creek and it is home to the only Gordon Ramsay restaurant outside of Britain). Another fun thing to do is to go out in the early evening on a 4X4 safari into the dunes around Dubai city and after some exhilarating dune surfing, the evening is ended off with an Arabian barbecue and traditional belly dancing show. Dubai is all in all a great city for a short stopover. Emirates airlines fly three times daily from Johannesburg to Dubai with onward connections to almost anywhere in the world. It is easy to obtain a 96 hour visa to visit Dubai on a stopover. An alternative, lower cost way to get there is by Etihad Airways, flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates with free bus connections to Dubai city. Then there is of course also Abu Dhabi to visit! Until next time.

13 October 2010

This time, I went to Mauritius as a guest of Beachcomber Tours. Mauritius is a comfortable four-hour flight from Johannesburg. The Johannesburg-Mauritius route is serviced daily with direct flights offered by Air Mauritius and SAA. The island’s economy is growing fast, and it has certainly become the destination of choice for those desiring a 4 Star and especially 5 Star luxury island getaway. Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius and the city is a hub for business on the island. For visitors, Port Louis offers a fresh produce; curio, craft and garment market as well as the Le Caudan Waterfront that comprises of many restaurants, shops and even a casino. The second biggest city is Grand Baie. Grand Baie is situated in the north of the island. This city offers the best shopping and nightlife on the island (if you feel like ever leaving your hotel). Beachcomber Tours offers a range of luxury hotels in Mauritius. Their hotels include Le Mauricia, Le Victoria, Le Canonnier, Trou Aux Biches, Shandrani, Paradis, Dinarobin and Royal Palm. These hotels range from basic 4-Star to 5 Star deluxe. Hotel packages offered by Beachcomber Tours are very good value for money and include more meals and activities than any competitors at this popular destination. A Beachcomber Tours package typically includes flights, airport transfers, hotel accommodation as well as breakfast and dinner every day. By paying a little extra, an all inclusive package is offered that includes, in addition to the above, all drinks, lunches and snacks. The hotels could be best described as resort complexes. They are dotted around the island’s magnificent coast. Guests literally walk out of their rooms right on to the magnificent beaches. The great thing for families is that hotels have mini clubs catering for children. The mini clubs keep children entertained throughout the day with various fun activities. For Honeymoon couples the hotels are also fantastic. All the hotels offer honeymoon suites situated in lush gardens. Hotel buildings are also never much higher than the palm tree tops and the large grounds, gardens and ocean make for a relaxing and romantic getaway. There are also many other things to do on the island of Mauritius. Typical activities include catamaran cruises, all sorts of water sports, hiking in the mountains and cycling around the island. At the Beachcomber Hotels all water sports are included in the package including water-ski and glass bottom boats. As Mauritius is a coral island, snorkelling is excellent. It is possible to learn to dive at most hotels. One can also arrange diving trips to the island’s main reefs. Mauritius is definitely the best value for money destination.

09 December 2009

Reunion Island is like a huge - little island in the middle of a huge ocean. A few colonial French towns are scattered around huge volcanic mountains (Over 3000m high). The ever present ocean seems larger than life and the red live volcano is very much an entity to be reckoned with. The last lava flow at Piton de la Fournaise (of a few years ago) is still hot and steaming, while the coastal road has already been rebuilt over this area. The climate is tropical. The culture is French (but with an interesting local flavour). It is an overseas department of France. Many aromatic plants such as Vanilla, Geranium and Ylang Ylang are cultivated and can be seen in forests. One can also visit Geranium distilleries. The local cuisine specialities include Sausice (Sausage cut in wheels and made into a stew) and the flavoured Rum makes excellent lunches and dinners. The history of Reunion (Sugar Cane and Slavery) is very interesting. The old mansion of one of the original landlords can be visited as it is now a museum with many valuable artefacts and it has a record of slavery in Reunion. There are 2 weekly flights direct ex Johannesburg on Air Austral. The flight is just under 4 hours long and lands in the capital St Denis. There is much more to do & see in towns like St Pierre, where the night life is more lively and interesting. Reunion offers various adventure sport options such as hiking, rock climbing, canyoning and kite surfing. One can hire a guide and take walks to some of the isolated towns in the interior such as Cilaos. You can enjoy a scenic drive up to La Plaine des Palmistes which offers great views of the interior as well as the volcanoes. There are a few Beach resorts in St-Gilles-les-Baines where there is a natural reef lagoon. They claim over 150 Coral marine species. Reunion offers many types of accommodation from backpackers to guest houses to hotels. South Africans require visas to visit Reunion Island.

20 January 2009

Egypt and Jordan now count as one of my top experiences. The visual impact of the Nile River running through the desert, the size and design of the ancient temples and objects as wells as the laid back atmosphere on a Nile Cruise, all make for one of the best experiences one can have. A few nights in Cairo is all you need to see the Egyptian Museum, the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Escape the bustle of Cairo on a leisurely cruise down the Nile and be surprised around every bend with temples such as Kom Ombo. Enjoy the enchanting traditional dance shows. Arrive in beautiful Aswan and enjoy the Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple. Take an early morning bus journey through the desert to view the magnificent Abu Simbel and the Aswan Dam as a half day journey. Cross the Sinai Desert (after climbing Mount Sinai for a magnificent sunrise) and cross the Red Sea by ferry to arrive in the coastal town of Aqaba In Jordan. Aqaba offer activities such as diving and snorkelling. Move north into Jordan and have tea with the Bedouins at Wadi Rum and spend a few days at Petra, the mysterious rose-red city where your imagination will run wild. On the way to Amman, swim (or rather float) in the Dead Sea, visit sites such as the Crusader Castle, Karak and the town of Madaba, famous for its mosaics. In Madaba one can view the oldest known map of ancient Palestine. The map sits on the floor of the church of St George and is still in excellent condition. A few days in the white limestone city of Amman is all you need to visit the various sites as well as Jerash, the remains of the largest provincial Roman City. Enjoy the local food, sweets and tea and smoke a shish pipe. It is easy to fly to Egypt and Jordan with daily flights from Johannesburg on Egypt Air, now a Star Alliance partner.

09 December 2009

Blue and White Greece - Greek Dancing Evenings - Soflakias at Street Cafes - The Parthenon - Islands I flew to Athens on the direct services of Olympic Airlines. Once in Athens, the Titania Hotel was our home and very well situated. In Athens, there are so many sites to see, walking tours to do and evening entertainment to enjoy. The Parthenon is awesome and is situated on top of the Acropolis. The Acropolis museum is also a must see. One can spend a lot of time wandering through the streets of Athens, where you can enjoy a beer and Soflakia at some of the excellent street cafes and browse through the many shops around the Plaka. Only a short bus ride from Athens it brings one to Piraeus, the port city where all the cruises and ferries depart. Greece is a country of thousands of islands; therefore the ferries make up a very important way of travel as many islands can only be reached by boat. Our 4 day cruise, on Louis Cruises, called the Aegean Discovery Cruise, started off over the very blue, calm Mediterranean Sea. This must be the best sea for cruising. Our itinerary included the islands Mykonos, Rhodes, Patmos and Kusadasi (Turkey). Mykonos needs no introduction with its cosmopolitan and sophisticated lifestyle. It is great to wander through the narrow streets and photograph the whitewashed houses and tiny chapels. The famous windmills of the postcards can be seen there. Rhodes, the home of the medieval city and the picturesque St Paul's Bay is steeped in history with every step that you take. Patmos is the sacred island where St John the Divine wrote the Book of Revelations. The Monastery of St John was built over 900 years ago and has outstanding interior frescoes. At Kusadasi, there are some markets and nearby one can do a tour of the magnificent Ephessos, the ancient city founded by the Athenians. The Greek Amphitheatre is still eminent for its remarkable acoustics. The cruise ended in Piraeus again. The next day we explored some of mainland Greece seeing interesting sites such as Mycenae and Epidarus. Greece is truly an excellent tourist destination, and I can't wait to go back!